MINDY LEARY
BLACK HAWK — Fresh ingredients. Made by hand. Homemade sauce. Something for everyone.
That approach is at the philosophical core of Copper Kitchen Pizzeria, a locally owned restaurant now serving stone-hearth pizza, pasta, wings, and more in the center of Black Hawk’s Historic Appreciation and Recreation Destination (HARD) District.
Copper Kitchen Pizzeria, located at 307 Gregory Street, opened in early October. The restaurant is owned by Bruce Boynton, who also owns Pickaxe Pizza in Idaho Springs. Much of the menu is rooted in the same family recipes, with some adjustments made for the new location.
Stressing the mom-and-pop nature of the business, Boynton said, “We’re not corporate.”
The pizzas are New York style, with a thinner, hand-tossed crust and fresh toppings prepared throughout the day. “It’s not out of a can,” Boynton said. “It’s kind of an East Coast thing compared to the pizza here in the mountains.”
Copper Kitchen’s current menu already offers a wide range of options, from classic cheese and margherita pizzas to specialty pies like the Palermo, Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Bacon Ranch, and 3 Little Pigs.
Gluten-free crusts and pizza by the slice are also available.
Boynton pointed to the Palermo as one of his personal favorites: “It’s spicy. It’s an Arrabbiata sauce,” he said. “You’ve got your mozzarella, your provolone, pepperoni, and that grated Pecorino Romano to finish it off after it’s cooked.”
I took my family to Copper Kitchen and we ordered the Chicken Bacon Ranch. The pizza came out hot and fresh, with finely chopped onions, bacon bits, and tender chicken spread evenly across a thin, New York-style crust. It was filling without feeling heavy and showed the care that goes into how each pizza is assembled.
Beyond pizza, the menu includes wings, chicken fingers, salads, hoagies, sandwiches, fresh-cut fries, and appetizers like mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers, and fried mushrooms.
Desserts include homemade cheesecake with rotating specialty flavors, and carrot cake, which Boynton said will be added once staff are fully trained.
“We’ll be starting pasta now,” Boynton said. “The full menu should be within the next week or so, I’m hoping.”
Planned pasta offerings include spaghetti and meatballs, fettuccine prepared several different ways, and options like Alfredo and pesto. Boynton also hopes to eventually add fish dishes similar to those served at Pickaxe Pizza.
Copper Kitchen also offers delivery within Black Hawk and surrounding areas. Standard delivery is available within a three-mile radius, with extended areas available for an additional fee, weather permitting.
Delivery hours currently run from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, with no delivery on Mondays. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays. Hours are expected to expand as business increases into spring and summer.
Orders can be placed by phone at 720-986-3373 or online at order.spoton.com.
The dining room also hosts live music, typically on Saturdays, adding to the laid-back atmosphere without distracting from the food.
Boynton has been making pizza since the 1980s and has run his own restaurants for more than a decade. He said the goal with Copper Kitchen is not rapid expansion, but consistency.
“I don’t think we’re really trying to grow,” he said. “I think we’re trying to more get a handle on what we have and get the new crew up to speed and working like a well-oiled machine.”
For now, Copper Kitchen Pizzeria is focused on developing its menu, training staff, and building a real presence in Black Hawk.
With the full menu set to launch soon, the restaurant is positioning itself as a stand-alone option for residents and visitors looking for handmade pizza and familiar Italian comfort food outside of the casino floor.
Dining and Cooking